LAPD officer sentenced to 36 months for assault of woman who died in custody

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A veteran Los Angeles Police Department officer was sentenced to 36 months in jail after she was convicted of assaulting a handcuffed woman who later died.

Officer Mary O'Callaghan was convicted last month of assault under the color of authority, meaning she abused her role as an LAPD officer.

O'Callaghan was given the maximum sentence of three years, but some of that sentence will be suspended.

The 50-year-old will only serve about 16 months in county jail, and the remaining 20 months of her sentence will be served under supervision, which is essentially probation.

The case against O'Callaghan stemmed from an incident on July 22, 2012, during the arrest of Alesia Thomas, 35, in the 9100 block of South Broadway Avenue.

Patrol car video shows O'Callaghan grabbing Thomas in the throat while trying to get her into the vehicle. Thomas lost consciousness and never recovered. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.

According to autopsy findings, cocaine intoxication likely was a "major factor" in Thomas' death, though the coroner's report lists the cause of death as undetermined.

In court Thursday, O'Callaghan apologized to Thomas' mother.

"Mother to mother, I am extremely sorry for the loss of your daughter," O'Callaghan said. "Not a day goes by that I don't think of her."

Thomas' mother, Sandra Thomas, offered to hug O'Callaghan in court, but was not allowed.

After the sentencing, she spoke out, saying she believes justice was served.

"I feel a great sense of relief. I appreciate how things turned out. Everything turned out reasonably well. Justice was served and now I feel normal about everything," Thomas said.

O'Callaghan, who was relieved of duty without pay, was criminally charged in October 2013 after an investigation by the LAPD. She had worked for the LAPD for 18 years.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck issued the following statement after the sentencing: "It should be clear to everyone that the LAPD and the criminal justice system will hold officers accountable for their actions when they operate outside the law."

City News Service contributed to this report.